canberrabirds

Stone-curlews at Mulligans Flat

To: 'Con Boekel' <>, "" <>
Subject: Stone-curlews at Mulligans Flat
From: Philip Veerman <>
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2016 01:17:05 +0000

It is true that wild birds can be very cautious and hard to approach and will walk away at quite some distance. Has anyone seen one fly? However they will also become very tame. Chris I believe knows the birds and I don’t so really it depends a lot how habituated they are. Another option is repeated safe approach could also make them far less likely to be flighty. In captivity you can get within a few cm of them and they show no reaction, just stare into the distance (it seems).

 

As for But if they fly out, the fence also stops them walking back in, well yes but it does not stop them flying back in – that is if they don’t get lost and if they have the brain power to do so.

 

There are also many of them in suburban Brisbane, including parts of the central suburbs, around railway stations and schools......... Although they are usually not obvious. In the years I was there in early 1980s, there was a regular group at Qld University St Lucia. My brother had a shopfront in South Brisbane with relatively little vegetation in view and had one walking almost past his shop along the street one time (about 5 years ago).

 

Philip

 

 

From: Con Boekel [
Sent: Monday, 4 April 2016 10:14 AM
To:
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Stone-curlews at Mulligans Flat

 

Hi everyone


Just thinking about the Stone Curlews, one problem seems to be that we can keep the foxes out but we can't keep the Stone Curlews in.

But Stone Curlews are essentially very terrestrial. They tend to stay on the ground 24/7 unless motivated to take off. So the fence stops them walking out.

But if they fly out, the fence also stops them walking back in, assuming the foxes do not get them first.

If they have to fly, the least risky flight option for them is to do it at night when aerial predators can't have a crack at them.

>From my perspective, the people who are least likely to cause them to fly are the people using the tracks and trails for jogging and cycling and the like. They don't deviate from their course and they don't look like they are hunting. They don't stop and stare at the Stone Curlews because they don't see them. And they don't approach the Stone Curlews more closely for a better look or a better pic.

So the Stone Curlews can observe them running past without feeling that they are being stalked. There is no need to fly.

It seems to me that the people who are most likely to cause them to fly are people like me who have a targetted interest in recording Stone Curlew or in taking Stone Curlew pics.

One problem is that I don't know how close I could get before the birds fly off in fear.

I reckon that it is better to be sure here.

Until the initial and risky phase of the translocation has run its course, we should put the Stone Curlews first and leave them to it.


The other day I walked around Mullies Big Dam and spotted in the mud the cute fresh tracks of the furry little ones who are thriving at Mullies thanks to the enormous efforts of their human mates.

It was a wonderful feeling, and one day in the next couple of years or so I hope to hear the thrilling night calls of the Stone Curlews.

In the meanwhile for me there is a huge amount of satisfaction just in knowing that the Stone Curlews are there.


regards

Con


On 4/04/2016 9:44 AM, David Rees wrote:

Chris

 

Fair comment, however MF is used increasingly by locals for jogging and bike riding etc.etc. Bird watchers represent a minority of park users. 

 

Bush Stone Curlews are quite able to live with people plus unrestrained domestic dogs and cats as a trip to coastal Queensland will clearly confirm. Foxes are another matter though.

 

David

 

On Sun, Apr 3, 2016 at 8:23 PM, Chris Davey <> wrote:

Hi,

 

Recently there have been sightings and excellent photos taken of Bush Stone-curlew at Mulligans Flat. This information has been of great value in allowing us to get a better handle on the number of birds in the area. At this time of the year the birds tend to flock up into social groups and this is what appears to be happening.

 

The greatest danger at present to the successful reintroduction of the Stone-curlew into Mulligans Flat is any disturbance that will make birds fly especially during the daytime. At the moment the greatest concern is that they will be preyed on by avian predators, in particular Wedge-tailed Eagles and Brown Goshawks or fly out of the Sanctuary.

 

We realise that the Curlews are going to have to get used to being disturbed but at this critical stage in their reintroduction we urge observers to keep a safe distance and in particular make sure that the birds do not fly.

 

Chris

 

 

 

 

 

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